A Fixed Point in Time
by wild-imagination6695
Summary: Peculiar things are happening at Hogwarts, more so then usual. The Department of Mysteries discovers a rift opening over Hogwarts, a fixed point in time is in danger of not happening. What does this have to do with Hermione? And why does a spell meant to help heal the timeline summon a teenage boy who claims to be her son? Set in sixth year.
1. The Beginning or the End?

**Hello everyone, I'll try to keep this simple so as not to bore you. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic so please forgive me and be patient if I make some mistakes.**

**This will be my own version of Sixth year. A few things will be different in my story but the important thing to remember is that whilst Draco is a death eater in my tale he was not given the task of killing Dumbledore.**

**Everything else I hoped will be explained whilst I go along- enjoy **

**Chapter 1: The Beginning or the End?**

**oOoOo**

"I can't believe you Ron! I mean how could you!"

Everyone in the Great Hall's heads turned to see one Hermione Granger storm down the aisle and seat herself at the Gryffindor table in a flurry of robes.

"Give me a bloody break Hermione –It's not like I meant for the bloody thing to explode!"

Ron Weasley, directly on her heels sat down next to her, careful to leave a crucial amount of space between them.

Their best friend raised his eyes from his previously peaceful lunch, eyeing them warily from his seat across the table. "Do I want to know?" Harry asked.

If it were possible Hermione's eyes got even brighter and waves of rage that were almost tangible, rolled off of her. Pointing an accusing finger at Ron she spat, "This buffoon! – Mixed the wrong ingredient into our almost finished Incarteous potion, causing it to explode!"

"How many times do I have to tell you?! It wasn't my fault. It was the bloody correct ingredient!"

Whirling on him Hermione hissed, "Thanks to you I'll be lucky to get an Exceeds Expectations!"

"Woah Hermione!" Harry said and made a grab for her hand. Hermione snapped her gaze back to Harry and opened her mouth in order to begin another tirade but he was quick to cut her off.  
"Just listen to me Hermione, it could be what Ron's saying is the truth."

Rolling her eyes she interrupted, "Harry that's not-"

Harry quickly drove on in order to finish his explanation. "We know things have been a bit stranger at Hogwarts then usual right?"

Eying him warily, Hermione replied "Yes."

"The constant storm over Blackwater Lake, daily seasonal changes of the Whomping Willow, solidifying ghosts, the room of requirement malfunctioning-"

Ron let out a snort, "Yeah, remember when Seamus asked for a toilet and got a…"

His voice trailed off when he saw the look Harry was shooting him.

Harry turned his attention back to Hermione and clasped her hand tighter, "Anyway, as I was trying to say, with things going so haywire around here, does an exploding potion really sound all that different?"

Hermione's mouth fell open as comprehension flooded through her, "Oh my god! How could I not think of that- I'm so- Ron I'm so sorry!"

"Just try not to jump to conclusions and explode so easily next time Hermione- It's scary." Ron voiced whilst shooting Harry a look.  
Giving Ron a grateful smile, she answered "I'll try to keep that in mind. I really am sorry."

Ron smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's alright 'Mione, it wasn't that far of a stretch to think that's something I'd do, I'll admit."

Hermione smiled at him but when he didn't move his hand she started to shift uncomfortably and broke their gaze. As she glanced around, she noticed Harry seemed to be staring blankly over her shoulder. Concerned she reached forward to grasp his hand as he did before and asked, "What's wrong Harry?"

Shifting his gaze momentarily, he gazed into her eyes directly before looking back over her shoulder once more. "Malfoy."

Both she and Ron turned in their seats to see Draco Malfoy sitting at the Slytherin table. Having not seen him when she came in Hermione realized he must have slipped into the Hall whilst she was distracted with Ron.

She observed him closely, his paleness was even more striking then it usually was. He looked sick, something she'd noticed had progressed in the few weeks since the start of the school year.

She watched as he piled a few things upon his plate before taking slow meticulous bites.

He always ate alone nowadays she noticed. A constant distance was now kept between the Prince of Slytherin and his subjects at all times, besides the occasional times he would show up to dinner.

As if sensing their stare Malfoy glanced up and immediately locked eyes with them as if already having known who was watching him. He sneered at them before tiredness washed over his face and he turned away as if deeming them not worth the effort.

"Wonder what's caused him to get all surly." Ron whispered, leaning back over the table to speak to Harry conspiratorially.

Hermione tore her gaze from the Slytherin table to glance at the boys, "Don't you think he looks ill?" she asked.

"What junior death eater wouldn't?" Harry scoffed.

"Stop it Harry." She sent both of them a severe look.

"Oh come on Hermione- are you saying it's not possible?" Harry drawled.  
"I'm not saying that, you are most probably right," she admitted "But that doesn't mean we should make fun of the situation." She finished firmly.

Harry ducked his head, realizing the truth of Hermione's statement.

"Come on we better eat up, otherwise we'll be late to class and I for one don't want to be stuck on the end of another of Hermione's lectures." Ron smirked, breaking the silence.

Hermione rolled her eyes but couldn't help but let a small smile creep onto her face before reaching for an apple.

**oOoOo**

Hermione grunted as her hip hit another table. She moved her pile of books slightly in her arms to try and get a better glimpse where she was going.  
Finding the shelf she was looking for Hermione quickly placed the books onto the banister and started to place them back where she had found them. Having finished her work quicker then she planned, Hermione decided to find some books that might help Harry with his Occlumency or his effort in trying to win Slughorn's trust.

She scoured the bookshelves and having found some books she thought were promising, she piled them under her right arm whilst already holding open and reading a particularly interesting title in her left hand. She walked forward for some time before realizing she had been walking longer then she should have been, she glanced up just as she bumped into a study table.

She quickly deduced she wasn't where she wanted to be, having ended up in a quiet back corner of the library and that there were no other occupants save for the person whose table she bumped into. She opened her mouth to apologize only to shut it in surprise when they glanced up to reveal the face of Draco Malfoy.

"Granger," he sneered, "Why am I not surprised?"

Trying to remain civil she replied, "My apologies Malfoy, I wasn't watching where I was going."  
"A trait all you Mudbloods no doubt possess."

Sparking her anger Hermione opened her mouth, preparing to give him a good tongue-lashing or perhaps hex him to the next century when she took notice of the dark rings beneath his eyes and his haggard face. She glanced down to see a book open on the table, she quickly recognized it as '_Revitalizing potions: Their History, Ingredients & Purposes.'_

Catching her stare Malfoy slammed the book shut. Hermione returned her gaze to his face and couldn't help but feel a surge of sympathy arise within her for this lost young man.

"Try the Invitrous Potion on page forty-six, it's much more effective and is easier both to make and store."

Malfoy's eyes slightly widened and then narrowed, "Don't assume to know what I'm doing. And don't waste your time trying to trick me Granger. Your effort is just pathetic."

Surprisingly, the urge to hex him didn't arise within her this time and she managed to calmly reply "I unlike some people Malfoy strive to help others for the simple fact that I wish too, even if they are totally rude and undeserving." She turned and started to walk towards the library's entrance before glancing back over her shoulder. " Everyone deserves a chance. The potion will help." And before she could reconsider what she'd said, she turned and walked away, heading for Madam Pince's desk. Whilst trying to figure out where the sudden urge to help Malfoy had come from.

She checked out her books and disappeared out the door, all the while mentally reprimanding herself on why she shouldn't waste such emotions on people like Malfoy.

Back at his table Malfoy broke his stare away from the doors where Hermione had disappeared through. Confusion clouded his face, he sat still in his chair for a few moments before pulling the book back towards him and flipping through to find page forty-six.


	2. A Rift In Time

**Chapter 2: A Rift in Time**

"So who do you think it was that arrived this morning?" Ginny asked from where she sat, spread-eagled across the lounge in the Gryffindor common room.

Hermione glanced up from her seat on the floor, in front of the table on which her books were spread across. "Definitely Ministry from the look of him. No doubt called to help deal with all of the recent 'incidents' we've been experiencing."

Ginny propped her head up on her hand in order to get a better view of Hermione. "Seriously Hermione, someone might think you were the involved in the idle castle gossip, with all the things you seem to know."

Besides allowing the corner of her mouth to quirk up, Hermione didn't react to Ginny's words, refusing to look away from the piece of parchment she was writing on. "Not at all, I'm just capable of remaining methodical whilst looking at the bigger picture so that I don't miss any of the smaller, indicative pieces of information people otherwise would have missed."

Ginny couldn't help but smile at the no-nonsense, 100% logical answer that was completely Hermione, at any other time she would have gone on to tease her about it but something else was on the forefront of her mind, which she was keen to investigate. "Speaking of gossip, what's going on between you and my brother?"

The sound of the quill scratching on the paper disappeared as Hermione's hand froze midsentence. She raised her head, her eyes widened at both the suddenness of the question and the question itself. However Ginny declined to elaborate, merely gazing levelly at Hermione, one eyebrow arched, clearly awaiting an answer.

"I…I don't know what you're talking about." She finally replied, trying to refocus on her almost finished paper.

Ginny scoffed and preformed an exaggerated eye roll, in order to show Hermione just how much she believed that.

When Hermione refused to reply or even react Ginny tried again, "With all the goo-goo eyes he's been sending your way, I find that hard to believe."

Realising her attempt to regain focus was in vain, Hermione placed her quill and parchment onto the ground and turned her body to face the lounge, giving Ginny her complete attention. "What do you want to know?" She asked bluntly, hoping to get this inquisition over as soon as possible.

Not missing an opportunity, Ginny pulled herself up and assumed a more serious posture, seating herself on the edge of the lounge. "You are aware that he has feelings for you?" she asked bluntly.

Hermione took a moment to consider her answer, "Yes.. Lately he has become more…" Hermione searched her mind for an appropriate and word, but for lack of a better one settled with "Affectionate."

"Has he asked you out yet?" A cold feeling settled over Hermione at Ginny's question, the thought of Ron asking her something along those lines, didn't bring her the joy or elation she had heard was common when a girl was asked out by a boy who meant a lot to her. As much as she cared for Ron she doubted that she could ever see him as other than a friend or brotherly figure, perhaps not too long ago she had felt something more but that had faded after it had failed to be acted upon.

"No."

Ginny considered the brunette seated in front of her, whose face wore an expression of complete concentration, as she took her time considering each of her answers and their exact wording, as if it were the most important interview of her life. Ginny however knew such focus and intenseness was typical of Hermione. And whilst she was not as close to her as Harry and Ron, she still liked to consider themselves friends. That is why worry started to seed itself in her mind as she saw nothing from Hermione to indicate she was pleased with the recent turn of events.

"Hermione… What are you going to do when he does? You know as well as I, that now that he's realized his feelings he's not going to let anything stand in his way, least of all common sense. Do you feel the same way about him?"

Hermione took a deep breath and brought her eyes to meet Ginny's, she deserved to hear the truth. "Once I did, yes.. But if he were to ask me out now… I'd still say yes." Ginny's flaming red eyebrows shot up at the answer she was clearly not expecting but she retained her questions so that Hermione could finish her reasoning. "Just because I might not feel that way about him now, doesn't mean I won't in the future. It'll make him happy which is better than the alternative. Besides, who else would I consider going out with that would actually be interested in me?" Hermione realized towards the end she had started to speak her thoughts aloud.

A surge of sympathy swelled within Ginny as she regarded her friend, "Hermione…"

"Hermione!? What are you still doing here?!"

Both girls glanced up to see Harry standing in the common room doorway. "Harry!" Ginny gasped. Hearing her, Harry's gaze shifted from Hermione to Ginny. They both stood staring at each other for a few moments before Harry, seemingly with great effort, refocused on Hermione. Ginny glanced away with a red blush covering her face.

"I came back because I left a book in the dorm, don't you know Charms starts in 3 minutes?"

Shock sparked through Hermione. "Oh my gosh! How could I have not noticed how late it had gotten?" She quickly rushed around picking up papers and books and piling them into her bag whilst Harry ran up the stairs. He returned just as Hermione packed away her ink and quill.

Both dashed out of the common room as fast as their legs could carry them, Ginny barley managing to hear the goodbyes they shouted over their shoulders before the portrait swung closed.

**oOoOo**

It was almost dinner time and Hermione had just re-emerged from the library, having successfully completed all the papers and readings necessary for the next three weeks of term. Once she reached her dorm she unpacked her bag, placing everything away before she was to head down to the Great Hall. Happy that everything was in order she made her way down the stairs, towards the common room.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs she froze in astonishment at the sight of Ron patiently waiting by the portrait. It was amazing in itself that Ron had not been one of the first into the Great Hall due to his infamous appetite and nevertheless had managed to restrain himself enough to effectively wait for someone before heading down to the feast. But it was even more so shocking when he spotted her and took a step forward, making it clear that the one he had been waiting for was her.

A lopsided grin took residence on his face, "Hey Hermione.. Mind if I walk with you?"

Stemming her nervousness at his request she managed to reply, "Not at all."

The walk down to the Great Hall was one of silence, making the atmosphere between the two quite tense and awkward. Hermione watched as Ron's fidgeting got worse the closer they came to the Great Hall. Finally just as they were approaching the doors Ron grabbed her upper arm, jerking her to a stop, "Ow! Ron!"

Ducking his head sheepishly Ron replied, "Sorry."  
They stood in silence before Hermione, hungry from missing lunch and frustrated that she couldn't move due to Ron still holding her arm, broke it. "Is there something you want to say to me Ron?"

"Uhhh yes." Seemingly realizing he was still holding her arm he quickly let go. "There's something I've been meaning to ask you…"  
Hermione's heart sped up, so this was it. Even though she had already gone over every possible outcome and decided the best answer was to say yes, having convinced herself so, her blood still froze in her veins at what she knew was coming.

"I was hoping that you might want to go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend, as you know a sort of date-type..thing." he asked whilst his hand ran through his hair in a nervous gesture.  
"Ron-"  
"What I mean to say is, will you be my girlfriend?"

Hermione couldn't help but focus on the lack of eloquence and romance with which Ron had confessed. She had always hoped (or at least some deep part inside of her had) that if a boy spoke of his romantic feelings for her- that it would be a special moment, not one where anyone from the Hall could interrupt at any second. Or where the moment was more or less ruined, due to her stomach letting out a particularly loud growl.

"I-"

"There you are! Come on, I've been looking all over for you two." The pair's heads shot to the right to see Seamus emerging from the Great Hall. "Quickly now, dinner's gotta be quick, there's an important announcement they're making afterwards."

Shrugging one shoulder and offering an apologetic smile to Ron, Hermione turned to follow Seamus, silently glad for the interruption.

**oOoOo**

Dinner was a quiet affair with the only conversations being hushed whispers. Ron sat across from Hermione at the table between Neville and Seamus, whilst she sat between Harry and Ginny.

Ginny noticed a strange tension between the two who had been late to dinner, both avoided looking at each other but on the rare occasion they both glanced up and met each other's eyes, they both were quick to break their gaze.

The hushed whispers suddenly faded and Hermione managed to raise her gaze from her plate, carefully avoiding anyone's eye, to see Dumbledore approaching his podium. He calmly gazed out at the sea of students before him. "As you all know, certain events have recently occurred that have been cause for distress and concern." His voice boomed across the hall, obviously enhanced by a sonorus charm, whatever it is he wanted to say, he wanted to make sure everyone heard it, Hermione realized. "To investigate this we contacted the Ministry, who in response sent Unspeakable Nolan Lightclaw." He gestured to his left. As one, everybody's heads in the Great hall turned to see a man standing to the side of the Hall, beneath the platform, that many had failed to notice.

He appeared to be rather young in years, for a Ministry official. If Hermione were to hazard a guess it would be late twenties. His eyes contrasted this though, with a gaze that suggested he knew and had seen much more than one would expect for someone his age. In contrast to his name he resembled a shadow more than light. Long strands of dark hair fell across his face and enhancing the effect, he wore a long black cloak which covered whatever attire he was wearing underneath.

"He has spent the day retrieving information and has found that which has been causing these mysterious accidents. It is very important that you now give him your undivided attention."

Everyone remained deathly silent as Dumbledore stepped back from his podium to his seat. Unspeakable Lightclaw stepped towards the center of the Hall but didn't bother to walk up on the platform, seemingly preferring to be at more of an eye level with his audience. Once at the center of the hall, he stood completely still, regarding his audience silently before his voice boomed across the hall. "As Professor Dumbledore said I am Unspeakable Lightclaw. I work in the Department of Mysteries in the Ministry of Magic, my division is that of the Time Room." He paused, giving some of the students enough time to exchange confused glances with their friends. "I'm going to be very blunt. It has come to the Ministry's attention that a time rift is opening above Hogwarts." Gasps were heard around the room. "This is not a reason for panic or alarm. However, what I am about to tell you, very few people know. This is confidential information- which is why certain precautions were taken earlier to ensure you will not be able to discuss this with anyone not directly involved in the situation."

Unspeakable Lightclaw once again paused to allow what he said to sink in. Hermione felt something grasp her hand, she looked down to see Ginny's hand clasping her own, she glanced up to see Ginny's wide eyes staring back at her. Hermione smiled as encouragingly as she could to show Ginny that everything would be fine and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"A time rift is due to a fixed point in time being in danger of not happening." Lightclaw resumed. "Now time is mostly fluid with future events being able to fluctuate, allowing for an infinite amount of varying outcomes to be possible. However in very rare circumstances a fixed point occurs. This event is one in which must occur for a following predetermined set of events to unfold. Now some of you may ask why must this sequence of events happen? What if these events are dark in nature or lead to a dark future? But no matter how dark the future from a fixed point is, the future should this event not occur is much, much darker. These events occur by necessity and are fundamental in the balance of the world, should they not occur, it leaves the world very unstable and very vulnerable to the dark forces. If you need an example the fall of Camelot is quite a well-known one." More gasps were heard around the great hall but Lightclaw was quick to continue, "Due to their nature these events usually occur quite naturally with no need for intervention, however on the rarest of occasions where it is required, the Ministry has dealt with these occasions effectively and with no dire consequences. The reason I felt that you all need to be informed of this is that the rift opening over Hogwarts is not only indicative that the event occurs here but that it involves you, as the students, as well. The reason for what caused the event to be in danger of not happening is at the moment still unknown, as is what the actual event is. However, in order to repair what has been altered there is a solution, a spell performed by one of who is distinctly involved in the events to come can summon an object from the set future to act as a clue for what needs to happens. It will not be obvious and will be unclear at first in how it relates to future events, but that is so things may progress as naturally as possible."

An arm emerged from the Unspeakable's massive cloak, he raised his arm to show what seemed to be a pocket watch held in his hand. "The rift is giving off temporal or 'time-energy', that is what is causing the incidents around your school. But as well as the rift giving off this energy, certain individuals will be exuding it as well, depending on the severity of their role, this is how we will determine who is to speak the spell. This is a temporal detector, it is capable of detecting these energy waves. I will walk amongst all of you, examining each of you until I find someone with the highest amount of energy. Now I am aware due to accidents the rift has caused many parents have recalled their children home."

Now this Hermione already knew, Dean had left a few days ago. As she looked around the Hall she realized more then she had originally thought were missing from the sea of faces, as her gaze swept the Slytherin table she noticed the missing platinum blond hair of Draco Malfoy.

"I have asked and been assured by Professor Dumbledore that these students have been instructed to return due to the cause of the accidents being identified. As well as the need to ensure all the necessary individuals are present. If we fail to locate a person qualified to perform the spell, we will then examine the returning students upon their arrival."

He then walked to his right until he reached the Hufflepuff table and slowly began making his way down the aisles holding his hand upturned in front of him so that the watch was easily seen and displayed. He paused briefly every now and then or slightly shifted his angle towards a particular person but he didn't spend longer than a few seconds doing so before continuing on. It wasn't until he reached the end of the Gryffindor table that Hermione got a better look at the temporal detector, the casing was open but what caught her attention was the dancing light above the watch, it reminded Hermione of the Northern lights, with the rippling cascades of light, only in miniature. She watched as he drew closer towards where they sat. The entire Hall was silent, a silence of which Hermione had never heard or felt before. She watched as the light flared slightly as Lightclaw angled towards Ron, changing from white and light green to blue with the slightest bit of red but dimmed as it fell upon Seamus. Hermione found herself holding her breath as he made his way around the end of the table and back towards them. She watched as it lit up again, slightly more brighter than with Ron as it fell upon Ginny with green and orange running through the blue and red. Hermione watched as Unspeakable Lightwood furrowed his brows and took one step further, bringing the detector to a stop directly in front of her. She watched as a multitude of colors suddenly appeared, dancing around each other until merging to form a ball of light that flared up so brightly and suddenly, many of the students in the vicinity jumped in their seats.

Hermione opened her eyes to see a miniature sun hovering over the watch. She slowly raised her eyes from the fascinating sight to meet the intent gaze of Unspeakable Lightclaw.

"Miss Granger, if you would accompany me, please."


End file.
